Of Amber Dragons and Prophecies
by Eliza Hutchingson
Summary: Natalie Ashland, a 7th year Ravenclaw, has had a hard past two years. Her parents were killed by Voldemort, leaving her and her brother orphans. She's found friends in Gryffindors. And now, she may be in for the adventure of her life.
1. Default Chapter Title

Of Amber Dragons and Prophecies:

Chapter One
    
    "Hush, little baby, don't say a word

Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird.

If that mocking bird don't sing,

Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring…"

Natalie Ashland choked, tears pouring down her face. The song that haunted her night after night…the last thing she had ever heard her mother say. Natalie was a seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and she, one of the few students at the school, had faced the fact that Voldemort had killed her parents. Only Natalie and her baby brother, Quinn, had survived.

She thought back to two years ago, when, over summer vacation, Natalie was home again with her parents. The Ashlands were an old wizarding family, and their blood was nothing but pure. Unfortunately, they were strong allies with Albus Dumbledore, and with that came the sad fact that Voldemort would do everything to kill the Ashland family.

Natalie had been sitting in the kitchen with her mother and Quinn, when they heard Mr. Ashland's screams from outside. Mrs. Ashland immediately grabbed Quinn and Natalie in her arms, pulling them into the broom closet. Quinn started crying as the door banged open, and Natalie's mother cuddled him, cooing and softly singing.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word,

Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird.

If that mocking bird don't sing,

Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring…"

Mrs. Ashland had hesitated when she heard walking coming closer to the broom closet. She put Quinn in Natalie's arms, and told her to run out of the secret passage in the broom closet. Just as Natalie had closed the trap door, she heard the broom closet door swing open, and a cackling, cold laugh rang through the air.

"Mrs. Ashland. We meet again!" the voice that the laugh belonged to said, cooly.

"Stay away, Voldemort. We Ashlands will _never_ join your side." Mrs. Ashland had replied, her voice shaking as though she was crying.

"Pity." Green light filled every crevice in every wall of the broom closet, and some of it leaked through to the secret passage. Natalie gasped as Mrs. Ashland's screams were silenced. "They've got to be here somewhere," the voice pronounced, and someone started knocking along the wall, checking for hollowness.

Natalie's big brown eyes grew wider than ever as she shakily stood up and ran out of the house through the passage way. Unfortunately, Voldemort had realized that there was a passage way from the broom closet, and opened it up, following Natalie and Quinn.

Natalie ran faster than she had ever had in her life, over dark moors and through fog. She stopped, gasping, and pulled out her wand. "Accio Nimbus 2001," she whispered, beckoning to her broom. It flew out towards her and Quinn, and she jumped on, flying the hardest she ever had, and away from her precious house.

Natalie knew not where she was when she landed in a tiny town in England. She could tell it was a magicking town by the wizards and witches walking around in all different colors of robes, many of them flying around on brooms. She was lucky to not have landed in a Muggle town. Natalie dismounted her broom, still holding Quinn for her dear life, and walked quietly down the streets of the town. When she found a shop called "Fred and George's Wizard Wheezes Shop," she stopped and walked in.

"How may I help your mischief making, ma'am," said a red-haired man, who looked about twenty in age.

Natalie spoke for the first time in what seemed like ages. "I-I'm Natalie Ashland…and I'm in a bit of trouble, I believe," she said softly, her eyes filling with tears.

George Weasley scanned the young girl. She was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with big brown eyes and shoulder-length, wavy, dirty-blonde hair. Natalie (as she said her name was) had a pointed sort of face, that looked extremely sad, and she was wearing slightly tattered crimson robes. She was a tad shorter than George, and the most peculiar thing about her was that she was holding a little boy, who looked about two years old. "Nice to meet you," George said cautiously. "My name's George Weasley…my brother and I own this shop. Ashland…Ashland…where have I heard that name before?"

Natalie's tears came faster, her body wracking with sobs. "My-my father, now deceased, is-was a Minister worker. He was in the Wizard Control department."

George's face suddenly lightened. "Yes! Now I remember your father! But…wait. Why are you _here_? Doesn't your family live near Devonshire? By the moors?"

"Yes…yes we do. Or did. Can you please tell me where I am now?" Natalie replied, hugging Quinn, petting his brown-haired head.

'You're in Ottery St. Catchpole. It's a small village…mostly Muggle, but there's a small wizarding alley that they can't get into. Now, when you first got to the shop, you said you were in a bit of trouble. Care to tell me what that's all about?"

Natalie sighed, and nodded her head weakly. "Voldemort…he came to my house today…I just escaped…my parents are dead…" Natalie started crying ferociously again, Quinn following her lead. George sighed sadly and looked at Natalie mournfully.

"Come on m'dear, I'll take you to my family house. My twin brother and I still live there with my parents, nice people, and my sister Ginny, my brother Ron, and Ron's friend Harry will all be there. They're all from Hogwarts, as I suppose you are, too?" George questioned, carefully helping Natalie up, and leading her out the door of the shop. They began walking up a long hill to a big, lopsided looking house.

Natalie nodded. "Uh-huh. I'm in my fifth year, in Ravenclaw. Actually, now I think I remember you and Fred quite well…I remember one year when-"

"Yes, well now's not the time to dwell on the past! Here we are, let's get you inside."

Mrs. Weasley was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the book 100 Ways to Quickly Clean Your Kitchen, her light red hair falling across her forehead. When she heard George, Natalie, and Quinn come in, she looked up and gave George a questioning look.

"George…what's this?"

George smiled, and pushed Natalie forward. "Mum, this is Natalie Ashland, (I believe you knew her father, in Wizard Control department at the Ministry) and she's in a bit of trouble. Her family…" George gave Natalie a sad sort of look, and then looked back up at his mother. "Her family was attacked by You-Know-Who today. She and her little brother ran, and she ended up in Ottery St. Catchpole. I though it would perhaps be best if she came up to the house."

Mrs. Weasley gasped, hugging Natalie to her plump body. "I'm _so_ sorry, dear! Come in, come in!" she said, Natalie wrapped in her arms. "You go to Hogwarts, don't you?" Mrs. Weasley pulled Natalie into a sitting lounge right off the main kitchen area, beckoning Natalie to sit down with Quinn on one of the voluptuous hazel futons.

"Yes…I'm in my fifth year, in Ravenclaw." Natalie said quietly, looking down at her hands.

"Oh, you're in the same year as my son, Ron, and his friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger! They're in Gryffindor."

Natalie nodded, blond curls falling onto her face. "I know _of_ them, but I don't believe I'm actually acquainted with them. No houses really get along that well with each other."

Mrs. Weasley patted Natalie's hands, looking at her with big cinnamon eyes. "I'm so sorry, m'dear, that you had to go through all of that. If you excuse me, I believe I'll go owl Dumbledore. He must know about this."

Natalie agreed, and laid down on the futon, tears once again reappearing. She just couldn't believe that her parents were gone…what would happen to her and Quinn?

So now, two years later, Natalie Ashland was a seventh year at Hogwarts. Over the summer of her going into fifth year, she had become acquainted with Harry and Ron, and then she met Hermione when the Weasleys took them all to Diagon Alley. Dumbledore decided it was best for her to stay at the Weasley's house for that summer, and that she and Quinn would come live at Hogwarts after the summer. She wasn't good friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but she was friends with them nonetheless…and she had decided that three more friends were better than three friends she mightn't have.

Natalie turned over in her bed, attempting to force herself to fall asleep. She fell in an out of light sleep for the rest of the night, having horrific dreams of what would happen if Voldemort finally did get his hands on the two children he missed out on.

When she woke the next day, Natalie's eyes were red and puffy, and she freezing cold. She stood up on shaky legs and looked around her dorm. Four other girls lay calmly in their beds, dreaming of perhaps good things. One of them, with black hair and oddly green eyes, was Sandra Svigos, Natalie's best friend. Sandra had gorgeous olive skin, and long legs, which made Natalie seethingly jealous. Natalie hadn't grown an inch since fifth year, leaving her shorter than most of the other girls, and her skin was a pale color that refused to tan.

Beautiful maroon tapestries hung in the room, adorning the white walls, and contemplating the maroon carpet. One wall had a door to the hallway, one wall had a door to the bathroom which they shared with the sixth years, one wall had a door to their handsome iron balcony, and the last wall had a stain-glass window. Sunlight was pouring in from all angles from the stain-glass window, sending beautiful rays of color to dance gaily off of every odd and end.

Natalie smiled, and walked quietly into the white-marble bathroom, as to not wake any of her fellow dorm-mates. She jumped into the shower, hot water tingling her cool skin and warming her to the bone. After the shower, she dressed in her favorite indigo robe, wrapped her black cloak tightly around her body, and walked out onto the balcony, where she summoned her Firebolt. Firebolts were now more common, and Natalie had received one from her good friend, Cho Chang, last year when Natalie turned sixteen. Natalie was sad to see Cho graduate from Hogwarts last year, but happy for her friend.

Natalie jumped on the broom, and flew to the Quidditch pitch, twirling in and out of amazing dives. One of Natalie's favorite things in the world was flying, because it made her forget all her problems and be one with the wind. Her now chest-length hair flapped behind her, and her robes whipped in the early morning wind. She was so intent on her flying that she didn't notice someone come and sit down in the stands until he yelled out to her.

"Oy! Natalie!" Ron Weasley called to Natalie Ashland, his hands cupped around his mouth to intensify the sound. Natalie looked around, stunned, and smiled when she saw Ron sitting there. She flew down to the stands, brown eyes glinting.

"Hallo, Ron! What brings you to the Quidditch pitch on such an early morning?" she said, voice full of amusement.

Ron laughed. "Well, I was standing on my balcony in the Gryffindor house when I saw a purple dot on a broom stick appear from nowhere and start zooming towards the Quidditch pitch. Curiosity got the best of me, and needless to say, I followed the color. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was you." He ran a hand through his orange hair and scrunched his nose.

Natalie giggled. "Care to join me?"

Ron pondered over this a moment, and shook his head. "Uh-uh. Knowing how well I fly, I'll probably kill myself attempting to out-do you."

"Okay, suit yourself!" Natalie said, shrugging, and jumping back on her broom, taking off into the pale blue sky.

Ron leaned back contentedly, his hands behind his head. It _was_ beautiful morning, practically cloudless, and perfect in temperature. The grass was vibrant in color, and everything seemed so calm. It was hard to believe it was the beginning of fall already.

***

Dumbledore watched from his office window, blue eyes dancing as he watched the young girl fly around outside on the Quidditch pitch. He regretted to tell Natalie more bad news, but he couldn't help fate.

Two hours later, the same joyful Natalie Ashland that he watched on the Quidditch pitch was sitting in the office, directly across from him, a worried look pasted across her face.

"What…what is it, Professor?" she whispered, her voice dripping with fearfulness.

"Natalie…I didn't want to tell you this, but a prophecy has been made."

Natalie laughed incredulously. "Professor, you've got to be kidding! A prophecy? You know very well that I _do not_ believe in divination."

Dumbledore looked at her with sad eyes. "Natalie, I would usually agree with you in this case, but once every while, Sybil Trelawney makes a correct prophecy. It's happened twice in her lifetime. And last night…it happened again. At least, we believe it happened again. But the thing that worries me most is that the prophecy…it's about you."

"About…me?" Natalie looked mildly amused as Dumbledore handed her a sheet of paper. She read over it once and then looked up at him with wide brown eyes.

__

The child with the amber necklace

The one with the chocolate eyes.

Will someday meet a fate,

Which she will strongly despise.

It is down to this child, the powerful one

Who escaped the Dark Lord's wrath

To harvest her powers and find it in her heart

To decide what is her path.

"That's…it?" she asked, glancing at the paper that was once again in Dumbledore's hands.

"That's it. We know there is more to it, but Sybil unfortunately woke up before she could say more. You see, don't you, why we all believe that _you_ are the child in the prophecy?"

"Sort of…I mean, I _did_ escape his 'wrath' a few years ago, when I ran with Quinn, and I _do_ have brown eyes…but what about this amber necklace? I've never heard of such a thing!" she said, giving Dumbledore yet another skeptical look.

"Well, I believe, do to a prophecy once found by another, more powerful Seer, that somehow your mother gave you the amber necklace before she died. Do you know _anything_ whatsoever about this necklace? Do you remember your mother giving you anything before you ran?"

"No…I'm quite hungry, may I please go to breakfast?" Natalie said, quite fed up with Dumbledore's questions.

"Fine…"

Natalie stood up, walking out of the office, and down to the Great Hall, where she sat down next to Sandra.

"Hallo!" she said to Sandra cheerfully, picking up a piece of toast.

"Hi…wait, Natalie! I found this this morning, and I figured it belonged to you," Sandra said, pulling on Natalie's hand and placing something cold and silver in it. Natalie looked down and picked at the chain of a necklace. She held it up, and gasped. The necklace was made of an ornate platinum, and dangling from the end was an amber stone with a dragon on it.

~Finis~


	2. Default Chapter Title

Of Amber Dragons and Prophecies:

Chapter Two

Previously: Natalie looked down and picked at the chain of a necklace. She held it up, and gasped. The necklace was made of an ornate platinum, and dangling from the end was an amber stone with a dragon on it.

Natalie stood up, and ran out of the Great Hall, clutching the necklace and ignoring the stares she got. She blindly ran to Dumbledore's office and began to pound on the gargoyle in front of the door.

"Professor! Professor! Please open up! Pl_ease_!" she screamed, jamming the gargoyle with her fists. The gargoyle stepped away, and Dumbledore was standing on the steps in front of Natalie, giving her a most peculiar stare.

"Natalie…what is it?" he said, blue eyes dancing.

"Professor! I've got it!" she whispered, holding up the necklace and jamming it into his face.

Dumbledore laughed, and pulled her into the office. He motioned for her to sit down, and walked to the other side of his desk. He too sat down, and then looked solemnly at Natalie.

"Alright, now that you're a bit more calm, may I please take a gander at the necklace?" he said, motioning to the silver necklace that Natalie had clutched in her hand. She nodded quickly and handed it over.

Dumbledore took a look at the amber stone that had a dragon carved elegantly into it, and his eyes widened with awe. "It _can't_ be," he whispered, looking at the necklace incredulously. "Natalie, where did you get this?"

"Sandra found it, sir. She thought it to be mine, and handed it over."

Dumbledore shook his head, and looked around his office. He had many things of power; a pensieve, a phoenix bird, the sorting hat…none of that equaled up to the power of Natalie's necklace. "Natalie," he said quietly, "There is an ancient legend that hasn't been told for a very long time about an amber dragon. It hasn't been told for a very long time, nor heard for a very long time. I was told this legend when I was a very small boy by my great Nana, and I will now try my hardest to remember it for you.

"This legend is about a man, named Isador Malcon. Isador Malcon lived many moons ago; in fact, he was believed to have lived forty-eight _thousand_ years ago. He was a man who loved to mischief-make, and in his time was one of the most famous potions masters.

"One day, Isador started to brew the Draught of Eternal Life. He thought that if he could master it, he could become the most powerful man in the world. For ten years after that date, Isador Malcon worked almost sleeplessly on the Draught. But something went wrong in the process.

"By Isador's calculations, the potion was supposed to turn green, then to a sky blue, and bubble for fifteen minutes. Instead, the potion turned hot pink, and did not change colors, nor did it bubble the slightest bit. Isador was enraged that he had worked for so long and that nothing had come of it.

"He hit the cauldron, which turned to the floor and poured all over it. Isador's dragon, Otohime, found the potion, and licked it all up, for Isador hadn't fed her in days. (Dragons were much more common in that year, and were a favorite as a pet.) It was said that Otohime was a tiny dragon, amber in color. When she drank the draught, she grew two times her size and instantly had immense power.

"Isador did not have any idea what had happened. Presumably, he accidently added some sort of Chemical X to the potion, which added great power to the draught. Any drinker would have undefeatable power, and would also have immortality. Unlike the normal Draught, though, the drinker would also never have to drink it again to maintain the immortality.

"Otohime took advantage of her power and tried to become leader of the planet. She changed her name to Amaterasu, which was the Japanese mythological sun goddess. The most powerful human on the planet at that time was a wizard named Aridon. He captured Amaterasu and placed a spell on her that could never, ever be taken off.

"This spell banished Amaterasu to a far-away castle, where she would live until she was summoned by a powerful object. Aridon made it so that this powerful object could only be found every three thousand years, and that using it, you could control Amaterasu to use for your own doings. As the powerful object, Aridon chose a rock that he had found on a beach once, that was amber in color.

"Eighteen thousand years went by, and the rock had become into the possession of a clumsy man called Haiton. Haiton once accidently dropped the rock, and it split into two pieces that magically had a dragon carved on them. After that, Amaterasu could only be summoned when the rock was in the possession of two different beings who shared the same goals and were using them to summon her."

Natalie just stared. Finally, she shook herself out of her stupor and managed to speak. "If I have one half of the rock…who has the other half?" she whispered.

Dumbledore shook his head, his white beard waving around. "Lord knows! I mean, it could be anyone at _all_ in the wizarding world."

Natalie looked down at her hand, and then back into Dumbledore's big blue eyes. "Well then, I'm gonna have to start searching!" she said confidently, her voice wavering.

Dumbledore nodded, and smiled. "Perhaps you'd like to go for now and think it over?"

"Yes, sir, I would." And with that, Natalie walked quickly out of Dumbledore's office.

***

Two days later, Natalie was flying down stairs, hurrying briskly to the prefect's bathroom. It was early in the morning, and she didn't want to wake any other girls by taking a shower, so she figured the prefect's bathroom would be her best bet.

When she got there, and said the password ("Transfiguration"), she was surprised to hear someone crying. She tip-toed to one of the rooms, and when she looked in, Natalie got a big surprise.

"_Draco_?"

Draco Malfoy looked up and glared. He was holding a white piece of paper, and clearly was unhappy. "Go away, Natalie," he said, voice full of spite.

Natalie thought back to the days when she and Draco had been good friends. They were both sent to the same preschool, Madame Munda's Wizarding Day Care, and instantly were fond of each other. Day after day they played together, and you could hardly ever find them apart. Even after preschool, they were still good friends…until Draco turned nine.

On his ninth birthday, Lucius Malfoy had taken the liberty to explain to Draco how things were going to be. How Draco could never be friends with people that weren't on the Dark Lord's side. How Draco could only associate with purebloods, and those with money. This had broken Natalie and Draco's friendship, and Natalie had never since seen the same carefree boy.

Now, Natalie felt bad for him. She walked over to where he was sitting and sat down across from him, staring deep into his silver eyes. She remembered how kind he had been to her when all the other children were mean at preschool. "Draco, what is it? You can tell me anything," she whispered, reaching out to touch his hand.

Draco sneered. "Get _off_, Natalie! My business is none of your business," he yelled, pushing her. Natalie flew against the wall, and a tear slid down her face. And that's when she noticed it.

In Draco Malfoy's belt there was a sword. And in the hilt of this sword, a stone was embedded…an amber stone with a dragon carved into it. And Natalie screamed.

~Finis~


End file.
